Qianyu returned to the Konoha forward base to report to Orochimaru.
"The Raikage's son and the jinchūriki?" Orochimaru inquired.
"Both alive," Qianyu answered flatly. "They won't be making a fuss in the Land of Hot Water anytime soon."
He produced a sealed scroll and tossed it to Orochimaru. "A piece of the Eight-Tails. Thought you'd be interested."
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed. He pocketed the scroll. "Qianyu. New orders from the village. You're to return to Konoha."
"Konoha?" Qianyu's brow furrowed. "Now? What for?"
"It's that time." Orochimaru's smile was thin. "The order came from Danzō Shimura, in his capacity as Hokage's advisor. Which means Danzō wants you."
Qianyu's eyes sharpened.
Danzō. So, the old badger was finally ready to move against the Uchiha.
"A warning," Orochimaru said, voice low. "I was in Root once. Danzō… he trusts no one. Sees shadows everywhere. He is paranoid, meticulous, ruthless. He cannot tolerate even the smallest lapse, the slightest deviation from his design. You have value now. Great value. He will try to recruit you. If your goal is only Kushina… an alliance with him is not the worst path."
Qianyu gave a short nod. "Understood."
He found Kakashi in the compound, told him he was heading back, and left.
Days later.
The name 'Yellow Flash of Konoha'—Minato Namikaze—had been gaining ground, threatening to eclipse another.
Then Qianyu defeated A and Killer B.
The name 'Blood-Eyed Asura' roared back across the shinobi world. This time, it truly echoed. Every major village's high command now had a file on him.
When Qianyu walked through Konoha's gates, the villagers' stares had changed.
After his initial successes in Hot Water with Orochimaru, the open hatred had stopped. But the sideways glances remained. The quiet belief that he'd just gotten lucky.
Now? He saw awe. Admiration. Children pointed and yelled, "Qianyu-sama!"
He ignored it all. He didn't bleed and fight for these fools.
His face a mask, he pushed through the crowd, aiming for home to see if Kushina was there.
A figure in a Konoha flak jacket blocked his path—an Uchiha. The man bowed deeply. "Qianyu-sama. Clan Head Uchiha Masaki requests your presence at the compound."
Qianyu's voice was ice. "Tell Masaki to come crawling to me himself. He hasn't earned the right to summon me."
He walked past the stunned ninja without a second glance.
The Uchiha's face paled, then flushed with anger. But times had changed. Qianyu had the Mangekyō Sharingan. He stood on a peak Masaki, for all his posturing as clan head, could only stare up at.
Kushina wasn't home. Qianyu left a note.
The moment he stepped back outside, a Root agent in a featureless mask materialized before him.
"Qianyu-sama. Lord Danzō requests your presence."
"Lead the way."
The Root base was a tomb of shadows. The air was thick, heavy. Every ninja he passed moved like a puppet, faces blank, eyes dead.
The agent led him to an office.
Danzō Shimura sat behind a heavy desk.
Qianyu bowed. "Lord Danzō."
The hard line of Danzō's mouth curved slightly. "Qianyu. You've done well."
Qianyu assumed he meant the fight with A and B. He gave the standard, empty reply. "I owe it to Konoha's training."
But Danzō's 'well' was about the Uchiha messenger. He skipped the pleasantries. "Do you hate the Uchiha?"
Qianyu's eyes flickered. No warm-up. Straight to the heart.
"Personal grievances are a trivial thing compared to the village's stability."
Danzō let out a sound—a laugh, if you could call it that. It was cold, dry. "And if the village's stability can no longer tolerate the Uchiha?"
"My duty is to Konoha. I will do what Konoha requires."
"As I thought." Danzō leaned forward. "You already guessed we would move against them. You guessed we'd come for you."
Qianyu looked genuinely surprised this time.
"Your composure gave you away," Danzō explained. "The news that your own clan would be targeted… and no change in your expression. As if it were inevitable."
Clever old fox. Qianyu reassessed. After a moment's internal calculation, he nodded. "You are correct, Lord Danzō. It was easy to guess. The Uchiha are a festering wound, poisoning the village from within. It was only a matter of time before Konoha acted to cure it. But I did not guess you would seek me out. Orochimaru-sensei only told me the recall order came from you. Hence, my lack of surprise."
"We'll play it your way, then," Danzō said, the ghost of a smile on his lips. "I will be direct. Hiruzen and I have a mission for you concerning the Uchiha clan. In the coming conflicts, you will be placed in a position of significant authority. Your task will be to systematically suppress the Uchiha under your command. Do you accept?"
No hesitation. "A shinobi's duty is to execute his Hokage's orders. I will carry them out without fail."
Danzō studied him for a long, silent moment. "You are a clever boy, Qianyu. You know why I, the Hokage's Advisor, recalled you personally. Why we are having this conversation alone."
Qianyu played dumb. "To assign the mission, Lord Danzō. What other reason could there be?"
Danzō's single visible eye bore into him. The room seemed to grow colder. "Since you pretend not to know, I will state it plainly. I wish to recruit you into Root. What is your answer?"
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